


Semi-final Consolations

by thatonewriterchick



Series: The Difference Between Best Friends and Boyfriends [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aftermath, Aged-Up Character(s), Bonding, M/M, Pokemon, Rivalry, Semi-final
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:21:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22054735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatonewriterchick/pseuds/thatonewriterchick
Summary: After the semi-finals, Hop and Victor deal with the aftermath and determine where their relationship stands.
Relationships: Hop & Masaru | Victor, Hop/Masaru | Victor
Series: The Difference Between Best Friends and Boyfriends [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587415
Comments: 5
Kudos: 74





	Semi-final Consolations

It all felt surreal.

Hop called his Pokemon back just seconds before Victor, who was staring back at him, baffled, wide-eyed, as though he also couldn't understand what had happened or how they got there.

The stadium was going wild, but neither moved for what seemed like forever.

Victor's brows furrowed and his weight shifted, disappointment, pride, love, doubt flitting across his features.

As the last one settled into place, drawing the blonde's mouth down, something twisted inside Hop, driving him into motion.

He started forward and after a pause, Victor mirrored him. When they drew close, Hop didn't go for the standard handshake, but a hug, drawing the other in tight. Victor's hands moved around him immediately, squeezing him back. 

If possible, the crowd grew louder, no doubt moved by the show of apparent friendship.

"Congratulations," Hop murmured, lips brushing Victor's ear.

"I'm sorry," Victor started. "Hop, I-"

"Don't be," Hop interrupted. "You earned this. And I still love you." Victor relaxed in his arms. "Now smile like you just won." Pulling away, he took Victor's arm, raising it above their heads, grinning as the crowds deafening cheers washed over them.

When Hop snuck a glance at Victor, he saw the smile, hesitant and relieved in the spotlight.

And although he was disappointed that it hadn't been him that would be challenging Leon, he couldn't have been more proud of his boyfriend.

The press was already in the locker room, cameras flashing as they entered. Hop didn't miss the falter in Victor's gait, the way he paled or the way he cast a glance at Hop.

A blend of nervousness, excitement and dread, tinged with a hint of his usual bemusement.

"Hop, are you angry that you lost so close to meeting your brother on the field?" A man called.

Ouch. Hop flinched at the question, all too aware of how Victor stiffened beside him.

He wished he could reach out and hold Victor's hand. To assure him with touch that it was okay. That no, he hadn't destroyed Hop's dreams - he knew that was the alarm in Victor's gaze as he looked at him.

"I'm not angry," Hop declared, for the press and for Victor. The media's lobs of questions eased up, lowering to a series of murmurs as they strained to record the impromptu interview. "We both worked hard to get here and we gave it our all. I'm proud of myself. And I'm even more proud of Victor. I know he'll give my brother everything he's got. The hardest part is deciding who to cheer for."

"Victor," someone else piped up. "What's it like to battle your best friend with everything on the line?"

"Exciting," Victor admitted after clearing his throat a couple of times. "Terrifying." They waited a couple seconds more and he shrugged, flushing a little. "I'm glad it's over, but at the same time, I wish it could've gone on forever."

The barrage of questions seemed never ending and eventually, Hop - and security - had them leave.

Victor collapsed on the nearest bench, jamming a hand into his hair in an exhausted exhale.

Sitting beside him, Hop slid his hand into Victor's. His palm was damp, but his fingers still linked with Hop's. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Victor lifted his head to give him a tired smile. "Thanks for helping with the interview." He squeezed Hop's hand. "And for the battle."

"Anytime," Hop promised, beaming. "We should clean up and find Leon." He stood.

Victor hesitated, not moving as his face grew redder by the second. He opened his mouth, shut it and pushed a flustered hand through his hair.

"What?" Hop asked, looking himself over. "Something on my face?"

"No," Victor said, quickly. Suspiciously quickly.

Hop waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"I just thought," he continued finally. "Maybe we could um...save some water."

"...What?" Hop blurted the question, but he had heard and understood just fine. His face was hot enough to ensure it was just as red as Victor's.

"Sorry," Victor said, shooting to his feet with a strained, husky laugh. "That was inapp-"

"We don't really have a choice, do we?" Hop said in a hurry, speaking over the other. "I mean, this is the environment we're talking about, right?"

"Yes," Victor agreed after a pause, with a couple of vigorous nods. "We are."

They eyed one another in silence for a few beats.

Heart hammering, Hop let his gaze ease down the length of Victor's uninformed body. He'd seen the other shirtless, when they went swimming. He'd also seen his legs, knew the curve of his calves and the golden hair that grew along the length of them.

There was one place he hadn't seen yet.

Mouth dry, Hop dragged his eyes to Victor's, watching as he finished a visual perusal of his own, his teeth pressing into his bottom lip.

Finally, Victor's looked Hop in the eye, sucking in a shuddering breath.

"I'll get my bag," Hop whispered.

"I'll heat up the water."

They hurried off in opposite directions and by the time Hop had pulled his duffle from the locker, he was practically vibrating with nervous excitement.

His shoes squeaked on the tiles as he sprinted back.

Steam was curling out of the stall at the end of the row of shower cubicles. Hop slowed as he drew near, trying to catch his breath from the running.

And from the sight of Victor wearing nothing but a white towel around his hips. The ache to run a finger down the line of hair trailing down Victor's lower belly and even lower made him blush again.

"Water's hot," Victor said as Hop came close, offering a towel.

"Yeah it is," Hop breathed, eyes still on Victor's happy trail. 

His answering breathy laugh echoed on the walls. "You need to lose the clothes."

Hop grinned sheepishly up at his boyfriend. "Will you help?"

Victor pressed a chaste kiss to his mouth. "Gladly."

His heart pounded as Victor worked his way down the cascade of buttons. He didn't rush, but Hop still noticed the tremor in his hands.

So he wasn't the only nervous one.

Somehow that made everything that much easier. Hop ran a hand through the sandy curls, watching the pink touch Victor's cheeks. He was hyper aware each time Victor's knuckles brushed over his chest then his stomach as he worked.

When he finished, he lifted his head enough to kiss Hop again, a slow, gentle brushing of lips that made heat pool into his belly.

"Ready?" Victor breathed, fingers stroking the skin above Hop's waistband.

"Almost." Hop smiled up at him as he kicked his shoes off. He tried to do the same with his socks, but the long things required two hands and soon he was living up to his name in order to yank them off, one foot at a time.

Victor's laughter washed over him, but eased away when Hop reached to pull his shorts down.

"Turn around," Hop chided, surprised by the shyness he suddenly felt.

"I thought you wanted help?" Victor asked, chuckling even as he complied. "We're about to see each other anyway." Facing the wall, added, "And I've definitely felt it."

Hop blushed even more as he yanked his shorts and underwear down. "I don't know, I just think maybe we should look at the same time." It was stupid, he knew.

"Okay," was all Victor said in reply, the smile evident in his tone.

But no mockery, never that. And Hop loved him even more for that as he kicked his clothes into a pile and secured the towel around his hips. "Okay, you can look now."

Victor turned and did just that, the open perusal making Hop more than a little subconscious as he waited. Finally Victor's eyes met his and there was no mistaking the heat and appreciation in his stare. He took Hop's hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "Now?"

Throat dry, Hop could only nod and follow Victor into the steamy stall.

It was the best shower of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still trying to decide how far to take this. I like their more innocent shenanigans as they explore new territories, but they're still hormonal and in a brand new exciting relationship. Hm...decisions, decisions...


End file.
